Volatile Mario Balotelli goes to war again

MARIO BALOTELLI was at the centre of yet more controversy yesterday when the maverick Manchester City striker was involved in a furious bust-up with team-mate Micah Richards at the club’s Carrington training ground.

Mario Balotelli was involved in a furious bust-up with Manchester City team-mate Micah Richards []

It was not the only headache for manager Roberto Mancini amid reports that rebel striker Carlos Tevez allegedly laughed at City’s Champions League exit while in his native Argentina.

Balotelli and Richards had to be restrained by their team-mates as they squared up to each other after trading insults during a practice match ahead of Sunday’s vital game against Arsenal.

It is understood the row was triggered by a stray pass from defender Richards, who then took exception to a derogatory comment made by Balotelli, lost his cool and attempted to launch himself at his Italian team-mate.

Several players, including captain Vincent Kompany, James Milner and Yaya Toure, intervened and had to battle to keep the two apart.

Richards and Balotelli were then brought together by manager Roberto Mancini for a lecture before shaking hands.

Me & mario are all good! these things happen in training & we shook hands after. it shows passion!

Micah Richards' tweet

Last night Richards attempted to play down the row with a player who is known to be one of his friends.

He tweeted: “Me & mario are all good! these things happen in training & we shook hands after. it shows passion!’

The
incident came a day after Balotelli had joined City team-mates in a
visit to Manchester Children’s Hospital and three days after the City
squad had donned fancy dress and enjoyed their Christmas party in London
following their first Premier League defeat of the season at Chelsea.

But
the goodwill went missing yesterday and it is just the latest in a long
line of controversies involving Balotelli since his £22 million move
from Inter Milan last year.

He is currently
living in a hotel in the middle of Manchester after his
multi-million-pound country house caught fire when his friends set off
fireworks inside the bathroom just before the incredible 6-1 victory
over United in the derby.

And before the defeat
at Chelsea, Balotelli broke a curfew by staying out until 1am on Sunday
morning at an Indian restaurant. He was also criticised by Mancini
after being sent off for picking up two bookings just minutes after
coming on as a substitute at Liverpool.

It is also not the first time that Balotelli has been involved in a clash with a team-mate during training.

He
infamously scrapped with former defender Jerome Boateng after reacting
badly to a challenge and was also photographed clashing with Kompany.
But he was not involved when Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor came to
blows last season.

Last night a club insider
played down the incident, saying: “It was something and nothing. It
happened in the heat of the moment.

“These
things happen on every training ground virtually every day of the week.
They shook hands afterwards and there are no hard feelings. They are
good mates and will remain so.”

Mancini however
will be even less pleased to hear that Tevez has appeared to gloat over
City’s exit from the Champions League. The striker was filmed cracking
up with laughter as a musician friend joked about City’s demise after
inviting him on stage to sing.

Tevez, who
returned to his native Argentina without permission last month, looked
ecstatic as the friend told him his side had bowed out because he was
not playing.

He laughed loudest as the singer abused City by ranting “Que se cagan!”, the equivalent in English of “**** them”.

Footage
of Tevez and his friend, Juan Carlos Jimenez Rufino, was later loaded
on to Youtube, who ironically signed a partnership with City earlier
this season. The incident came as Tevez – who is apparently too stressed
to return to England – holidayed with friends and family in the city of
Cordoba 400 miles north-west of Argentine capital Buenos Aires.

AC
Milan want to sign Tevez on loan in the January transfer market but
City are adamant they will only sell their former captain and are not
interested in a loan – unless it is with a firm guarantee of a permanent
deal in the summer.

Paris St Germain say they are prepared to buy Tevez but have been told he only wants to play for Milan.